"Take him," she insisted with a cold glare.

Stark horror and dismay had spread across the midwife's face.

"But my lady, she has not seen him. He needs his mother," the midwife pleaded.

"I did not ask for your opinion now did I?" She stepped closer to the elderly woman that held the bundled newborn in her arms.

The midwife averted her eyes and lowered her head.

"No, mistress." She whispered.

A silent pause passed before she regarded Tempest's mother.

"My lady, where should I take him. I can not offer him a home. I have no way of caring for him...," she began to panic.

"Leave him at the convent or anywhere you choose. Just be rid of him," her stern glare lowered then to the child.

"Be very careful and utter this to no one or you know what will happen to you," she hissed.

She watched the stout old woman nod her head before tightening her embrace protectively around the bundled baby then she turned and left.

Satisfied, she stood by and watched her disappear in the night with one less burden to deal with.

At a distance, Collette saw the exchange and lowered her head to dash away a tear. She had no clue what to do. Her heart sank to her stomach with this wrongdoing. But, to say anything about this would cost her dearly.

It had been hours since she gave birth and lost a lot of blood. Exhaustion had rendered her useless and sleep was all she could do.

Collette sat sadly at her side and wiped her brow; tending to her as the wee hours of the night turned into day and even still she slept until that late afternoon.

Weak and in pain, she finally opened her eyes. The first person that came into focus was her maid, Collette.

"My baby?" she whispered. She lowered her hand to her stomach. Still tender and sore from giving birth, she gasped as she tried to move.

"Careful Mistress," Collette pressed her gently back onto the pillows. "You need your rest," she said softly.

She shook her head and winced. Everything was so fuzzy. She blinked back the tears in her eyes and tried to focus. She turned her head to the side and the other then looked around.

"My baby? Where is my baby, Collette?"

She lowered her head. "Mistress....the baby...,"

"The baby has been taken," her mother's voice shattered the quietness in the room as she entered.

Collette's head shot up to look at Lady Fontaine in shock. She stood abruptly to attention.

"What?" Tempest gasped in pain as she tried to sit up again.

She watched her mother enter in a hurry.

"He is gone," her mother frantically said.

Collette stumbled back nervously.

The warning glare from Lady Fontaine immediately had her exiting the room. Her heart pummeled in her chest as questions from Tempest echoed in the room.

"Where is my baby?" She wailed.

The mumbled lies from her mother only worsened the situation.

"Mother, please tell me where is my baby?" She cried.

Her mother sat at her side and pulled her into a tight embrace. She consoled her as best she could as she continued to explain to her what happened.

"It was that evil pirate. He sent that old woman here as a midwife," she cried piteously holding Tempest tight in her arms.

"No," she shook her head. "That can not be true," she pulled away from her mother. Tears flowed like river streams down her cheeks.

"He would never do that," she cried out.

Her mother sadly held her cheeks. "He did," she insisted.

Tempest cried out in agony as the words finally sunk in.

He took my baby...

She screamed and tried to pull away. Her cries echoed throughout the house. The desperate seconds went by as she continued to scream and fight her way out of bed. Weak and distraught she was held down by her mother and Sophie as Collette struggled to pour laudanum down her throat.

Finally, minutes passed and her struggles slowly subsided until she lost consciousness.

"Oh, Mistress," Collette cried.

Suddenly she was pulled around to face her irate mother as Sophie huddled fearfully behind her.

"You will not mention this to anyone. Or both of you will pay with your lives," she shoved Collette roughly into Sophie.

Terrified, they hugged each other close and watched Tempest's mother leave.

"Oh! Collette, what are we to do?" Sophie turned to face her. Collette at a loss for words shook her head. There was no way they could do anything.

She knew that Lady Fontaine was not one to cross. But she had no idea she would be so ruthless, so evil. What mother could do such a thing to her daughter?

******

Here we go my peeps short but its here ....

Let me know what you think....